5/31/12: Cooney went undrafted out of a Pennsylvania high school in 2009, but that was more a factor of his college commitment to Wake Forest than it was about his ability, and he has emerged as a legitimate early-round prospect for this year’s draft after three seasons as a starting pitcher with the Demon Deacons.
After struggling as a freshman (4-6, 5.49), Cooney emerged as a solid second- or third-rounder with a breakthrough sophomore season, and he essentially solidified his standing in the draft as a junior, even as his performance was inconsistent.
Cooney’s normally-impeccable command wasn't consistently evident this spring as he walked 38 and allowed 99 hits in 99 innings, while going 6-7, 3.82 with a team-high 99 strikeouts. That contrasts to his sterling 2011 season, when he went 7-3, 3.01 and walked just 18 while piling up 91 strikeouts in the same 99 innings. His command was still very much intact last summer in the Cape Cod League, where he walked just eight while striking out 46 in 48 innings.
His struggles this season stemmed mostly from the trouble he had locating his fastball in the middle of the campaign. Typically, the pitch ranges from 88-91 mph, but Cooney tried to overthrow it, at times, to achieve a little more velocity, and while it often reached 92-93 mph, his command suffered in the process. He threw quality strikes with his fastball more consistently towards the end of the season as he made a more-conscious effort to stay within himself.
He did not have the same kind of command issues with any of his three off-speed pitches, a change, cutter and breaking ball. His cutter, which normally sits in the mid-80s, is considered his best secondary offering.
Cooney typical relies on an advanced sense of pitchability for his success, and precise command is critical in his approach. At his best, Cooney excels at mixing his four pitches efficiently to get hitters guessing and keeping them off balance, and he is able to create deception with his loose, easy, free arm action.
Despite his lapse in control as Wake’s Friday starter this year, scouts have seen Cooney at his sharpest often enough over the last two years that they still have little hesitation in considering the 6-foot-3, 195-pound southpaw as anything but one of the premier college lefthanders in this year’s draft.

Tim Cooney is a 2009 LHP/1B with a 6'1'', 165 lb. frame from Collegeville PA, who attends Malvern Prep. Cooney has a slender lean body with a lean thin frame. Cooney pitches from a 3/4 arm slot with a short compact arm action. He has a quick arm and gets good life on his fastball. Cooney opens up a bit early in his mechanics which hurts his velocity. He throws a change-up with sink on it and he maintains good armspeed on it. Cooney throws a 1/7 curveball for strikes. At the plate, Cooney starts with a slightly open stance and takes his hands to the baseball well. He is a contact hitter and has some length to his swing. Defensively, Cooney has solid defensive actions at first base and moves around the base well. He has nice hands and can make the picks. He makes the plays and is a solid defender. Cooney is an excellent student.